14 DAY TRIAL // The traditional phone services are now a mere accessory of a much larger communications sphere which involves and array of digital-based services. E-mail, instant messaging, real-time presence information, conferencing, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and mobile communications will be delivered directly to the workplace phone, courtesy of Microsoft.
The phone you are able to see in the adjacent image is only one aspect of Microsoft's new generation of devices designed to bring to life the company's vision of unified communications. The Internet protocol-based phone come with the Microsoft Office Communicator software built in. The devices are intimately connected with the public beta program of Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and Microsoft Office Communicator 2007. ASUSTek Computer Inc., GN, LG-Nortel Co. Ltd., NEC Corp., Plantronics Inc., Polycom Inc., SAMSUNG, Tatung Co. and ViTELiX are Microsoft's partners of the freshly announced endeavor.
"Today's office phone is marooned on an island, separate from the rest of the communications tools that information workers rely on to do their jobs," said Jeff Raikes, president of the Microsoft Business Division. "By weaving the business phone together with e-mail, instant messaging, presence, conferencing and the productivity software people use most, we are putting voice communications back into business."
At the beginning of this week, Microsoft will make available the phones and devices to all the users involved in the beta testing of Office Communications Server 2007 and Office Communicator 2007. According to the Redmond Company, the devices will integrate seamlessly, out of the box with the company's unified communications software.
Microsoft will deliver a total of 15 phones and devices that will range from Internet protocol (IP) and Universal Serial Bus (USB) phones, wired and wireless headsets, conferencing phones to LCD monitors and laptops.